Campus News

American Chemical Society at University of St. Thomas is part of the National ACS organization and one of the most active extracurricular clubs on campus. ACS has won many awards and honors - outstanding, commendable and honorable - over the last 10 year. This year, ACS has won the Outstanding Student Chapter Award, which is considered one of the most arduous awards bestowed by National Organization.

“Winning the Outstanding Student Chapter Award is not an easy task,” ACS UST Chapter President Sally Acebo said. “We have won this award a total of four times since the club was created in 1999. The ACS Chapter won this award under the leadership of last years ACS officers.”

ACS partcipates in various voluntary and academic activities such as educating students at local elementary or high schools with fun chemistry demonstrations, or helping families and patients staying in accommodations near the medical center.

“We volunteer at patient centers including Ronald McDonald House and the Hospitality Apartments near the medical center, where we cook dinner for the patients and families,” Acebo said.

ACS chapter members also present undergraduate research at local and national ACS conferences throughout the year. The club hosts activities like tie-dye events, BBQ socials and wine-tasting events.

“The organic chemistry students make wine in organic chemistry lab and then at the end of the year, a wine-tasting takes place,” Acebo said.

ACS is a very diverse organization; its members are from different majors, not limited to the chemistry department.

“Most of our active members are actually biology majors,” Acebo said. “We even have business majors, psychology majors and philosophy majors in our club. We love having a diverse group of majors in this club.”